The Philadelphia Orchestra makes its final Carnegie Hall appearance of the season on Friday, May 17 at 8:00 p.m., led by internationally acclaimed conductor Sir Simon Rattle in a program of Webern’s Passacaglia, Three Fragments from Berg’s Wozzeck, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, “Pastoral", and Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre. Soprano Barbara Hannigan is the guest soloist in the Berg and Ligeti works. Both Webern’s Passacaglia and Berg’s opera Wozzeck
received their U.S. premieres in Philadelphia under the baton of the
orchestra’s legendary music director Leopold Stokowski. Maestro
Stokowski and The Philadelphia Orchestra also recorded Beethoven’s
Pastoral Symphony for the beloved 1940 animated Disney film Fantasia.

Canadian born soprano Barbara Hannigan has received great acclaim for
her performances of Ligeti’s music, not least from the composer himself.
In 2010, Ms. Hannigan and Maestro Rattle joined Ensemble ACJW in Zankel
Hall for a virtuosic performance of Mysteries of the Macabre,
Ligeti’s tour de force work for soprano and orchestra. One of her
signature works, Ms. Hannigan has sung—and sometimes conducted—the piece
in performances across three continents.

About the Artists
Soprano Barbara Hannigan is an artist who combines
thrilling passion with exceptional technique. With a voice at once pure
and hot, she has arrived, through challenging and diverse repertory
choices, at a point of complete control, intensity, and versatility. She
also possesses a vital stage presence, whether in opera or on the
concert stage. Much sought after in contemporary music—she has given
over 75 world premieres—she is no less brilliant and devoted as a
performer of baroque and classical music.

A frequent guest of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Ms. Hannigan recently sang the title role in Stravinsky’s opera Le Rossignol
with the orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez, and has performed other
works of Stravinsky’s, as well as pieces by Dutilleux, Webern, and
Ligeti, with the orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. Her vast
operatic repertoire includes the world premiere performances of George
Benjamin’s Written on Skin (Agnès) and Pascal Dusapin’s Passion (Lei) at the Aix Festival, Louis Andriessen’s Writing to Vermeer (Saskia) for the Netherlands Opera, Jan van de Putte’s Wet Snow (Liza) for the Nationale Reisopera of the Netherlands, Michel van der Aa’s solo opera One with film and electronics, Luca Mosca’s Signor Goldoni (Despina) at La Fenice, and Gerald Barry’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (Gabrielle) for English National Opera.

After leading the orchestra regularly as a guest conductor for fifteen years, Sir Simon Rattle
became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berliner
Philharmoniker in September 2002. Prior to that, between 1980 and 1998,
he served as principal conductor, artistic adviser, and ultimately music
director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He toured and
recorded extensively with the ensemble and also conducted leading
orchestras in London, Europe, and the US, enjoying a close association
with The Philadelphia Orchestra beginning with his Philadelphia debut in
1993. He is a regular guest conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra, with which he has recorded the complete Beethoven symphonies
and piano concertos (with Alfred Brendel) and is also a principal artist
of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and founding patron of
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. At the Salzburg Easter Festival, of
which he is artistic director, Maestro Rattle has conducted staged
productions of Beethoven’s Fidelio, Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Britten’s Peter Grimes, and Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande
as well as a wide range of concert performances, all with the Berliner
Philharmoniker. Recent seasons have included Far East and European tours
with Berliner Philharmoniker; projects with Vienna Philharmonic,
Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and The
Philadelphia Orchestra. The 2007–2008 season included the Berliner
Philharmoniker's 125th birthday celebrations including their Berlin in Lights
festival residency at Carnegie Hall, a Scandinavian tour, and the BBC
Proms. An exclusive EMI artist for many years, Rattle has made over 70
recordings for the label. Simon Rattle was knighted in 1994 by the Queen
of England and has received many other awards and distinctions in
recognition of his artistic activities.

The Philadelphia Orchestra first appeared at Carnegie
Hall in November 1902. By the mid-20th century, the orchestra had begun a
series of annual appearances at America’s most celebrated concert hall,
presenting a variety of its concerts each year, less than two hours
from home. The Philadelphia Orchestra continues this long-standing
partnership. Renowned for its distinctive sound, desired for its keen
ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired
for an unrivaled legacy of “firsts” in music-making, The Philadelphia
Orchestra remains one of the preeminent orchestras in the world. While
wholly committed to the exploration of classical music and repertoire,
the orchestra also continues to develop compelling programs that
resonate with contemporary audiences. The Philadelphia Orchestra is
focused on the future while inspired by a rich tradition of achievement
and seeks to not simply sustain the highest level of artistic quality,
but to challenge—and exceed—that level by creating a powerful musical
experience for audiences around the world.

The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Robert L. Turner in support of the 2012-2013 season.

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Ticket Information
Tickets, priced $39–$116, are available at the
Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to
major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by
visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

For Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern
Auditorium / Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10,
will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday through
Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance
or until supply lasts. The exceptions are Carnegie Hall Family Concerts
and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public
on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office
only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium /
Perelman Stage a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed
or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of
the full price. For more information on this and other discount ticket
programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of
America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.